Born 1977 in Baia Mare, Romania. Lives and works in Cluj and Berlin.
Graduated in 2001 from The University of Art and Design, Cluj. In 2015 he represented Romania at the 56th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia. In 2005, he co-founded Galeria Plan B in Cluj, together with Mihai Pop, a production and exhibition space for contemporary art. In 2008 Plan B opened a permanent exhibition space in Berlin. His work has been widely exhibited in group and solo exhibitions, including at Tate Liverpool, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence.
I was following Matte’s art since 2009, and I have to say I am still amazed and amused every time he’s showing a new painting. They have all the jazz and coffee, and you can admire a few selections right here:
images: Matte Stephens
Because we really like craft with a note of hipster in it, I want to present you these rad sets of hand painted hexagonal coasters made by WOODISH ( Maria Burachu ) in Romania. Enjoy!
© daliscape barcelona_photo by renay elle morris
From the series “Women in the Landscape.” © Renay Elle Morris / photopresseimages.com
Previewed at Galerie Adler_ Paris, France 2010
Vlad Aurel
Bucharest, 15/16 - 22/23 Oct
Cultural event that offers free access in the studios of the most appreciated romanians contemporary sculptors it's dedicated to the Bucharest public in October for two consecutive weekends: 15 - 16, 22 - 23 and for organized groups in the period between 17 to 21 October. At this event edition the main area where the studios are located is Combinatul Fondului Plastic plus a few sculptors studios located in Charles de Gaulle and Piata Romana area. The schedule is: Saturday 10am - 19pm on and Saturday 10am-17pm. You are invited to visit the studios of the sculptors: Adrian Pirvu, Alin Florin Carpen,Ana Zoe Pop, Anton Ratiu, Vlad Aurel, Catalin Geana, Cristian Pentelescu, Doru Nicolae Dragusin,Dumitru Pasima, Giani Iosif Amarandei, Ioan Medrut, Laurentiu Mogosanu, Marian Zidaru, Mircea Roman, Titi Ceara, Valentin Duicu, Victoria Zidaru.
Evenimentul cultural ce ofera accesul liber in atelierele unora dintre cei mai importanti sculptori contemporani romani va fi rezervat publicului bucurestean,in luna octombrie, timp de doua weekenduri consecutive, 15-16 si 22-23 octombrie, si grupurilor organizate, in perioada dintre acestea, 17-21 octombrie. In editia acestui sfarsit de an, zona principala o va constitui Combinatul Fondului Plastic, fieful atelierelor de sculptura din Bucuresti, la care se adauga ateliere din zona Pietei Charles de Gaulle si Piata Romana.
From Russia With Love
VALERA AND NATASHA CHERKASHIN’S PHOTOGRAPHIC STRENGTHS DEFINE AN ERA.
As of this writing, I am pleased to present an on-going series, a Q&A dialogue with an outstanding selection of photographers whose work spans many genres and are established in the global sphere. Their powerfully strong and explosive imagery has captured the eyes of museum and gallery curators worldwide, as well as secured homes with private collectors. Stimulating artistic and thought provoking photographic imagery characterize these artists who have explored and broken boundaries within the photographic medium.
For this first interview, I would like to thank Natasha and Valera Cherkashin for the opportunity to share their story with my readers. I caught up with the husband and wife team at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute where a lecture/presentation of “End of an Epoch” formalized the evening. While the couple resides and works in both New York and Moscow, they have been exploring not only the cultures of the former Soviet Republic, Russia, and the United States, but Great Britain, Germany, Spain, France, Japan, China and other countries since 1988. The Cherkashin’s have held more than 140 solo exhibits and more than100 “performance and art happenings”. To date, their work has been the subject of over 60 television programs; including CNN, Deutsche Welle, Italian Super Channel, and Russian TV, and have been featured in over 250 publications, includingArt+Auction, Art Forum, Washington Post, and Stern magazine.
“…Valera and Natasha work like sculptors: on an armature of historical structure, they drape layers of contemporary references. In a phrase: their images reveal the transparency of time…”
–Stephen Mansbach, Professor of the History of Twentieth-Century Art,
University of Maryland, College Park
BEGINNINGS
Renay: Take me back to the ‘70s – the cold war era of the Soviet Union. Explain the climate of culture and what was your objective in the your delivery of photographic expression.
Valera: The ‘70s was the time of Brezhnev and stagnation. From the early ‘70s to about 1985, life was very stable, peaceful and there was no innovation. By the middle of the ‘70s “unofficial soviet art” appeared – until then the state regulated the arts and what could be exhibited (allowed). I remember a group of artists with an unofficial exhibition in a barren field in Moscow. It was work influenced by western culture and a lot of foreign journalists were invited. Considered a great scandal and denounced by the government, bulldozers were sent to destroy the work. This was the beginning for us as artists. The journalists wrote strong articles, which put pressure on the government, and in turn there were even more unofficial exhibitions occurring after that. Moscow and St. Petersburg became centers for it, but it’s influence impacted creatives all over the country. It is important to note that photography at that time was not considered to be art.
REM: Creatively when did you become a team?
NC: I thought we started to collaborate after several years of our marriage, but now, looking back, we understand that our collaboration started from the very beginning of our relationship. We discussed Valera’s new works and our discussions influenced his creativity from the selection of negatives to the photo prints we made in bathroom, as it doubled as a darkroom for photographers. Later on we worked together to produce collages.
VC: My interest in photography really took shape in 1960 when I received my first camera at the age of 12. My relatives had cameras for personal and family photos, and I wasn’t allowed to toy and experiment with them. So intrigued by the camera’s possibilities, I saved my money until I was able to purchase a “SMENA 6” which was a small and inexpensive 35mm one with a self-timer. I started with a series of self-portraits and continued this trajectory. I moved to Moscow, which I believed was the center of contemporary art in 1980, after a brief study in St. Petersburg to learn the traditions of the Russian avant-garde.
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